


Family isn't always in the blood

by StormblazeP51



Category: Planes (Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Mentions of Substance Abuse, Nightmares, Rain, Team becomes family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23092597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormblazeP51/pseuds/StormblazeP51
Summary: Blade learns that he's got more than just a team.....
Comments: 29
Kudos: 11





	Family isn't always in the blood

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome to a new story.   
> This is my first time trying to write Blade and Windlifter so I'm sorry when they're a bit OOC.
> 
> I got a song stuck in my head that made me write this so I'd suggest listening to "O willow waly" (The innocents) covered by ashley serena. It's a hauntingly beautiful, sad song.

\- "Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what"-   
-Unknown

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was raining out of buckets since days now. 

While that meant zero fire risk, it created a high potential for landslides and washed up streets. 

But Blade wouldn't complain. He knew his team could use the break very well. Maru used it for thourough restocking, Cabbie caught up on the hours of sleep he'd lost and Dipper flew north to Anchorage to visit some extended family. 

As always noone knew what the heck Windlifter and the Smokejumpers were up to. 

But he himself could use the solitude. 

Especially today. 

Nightmares had kept him awake all night and he felt more exhauted than in a long time. 

Exhaustion made him moody and so he didn't wanted to see or hear anyone for the day. 

The AgustaWestland hybrid sighed softly, his warm breath fogged the rainstained window. He turned his tail to it and rolled over to his sleeping mat. He climbed onto the huge, plushy cushion, slipping beneath the expansive, deep red blanket as he did so. He turned once, twice, four times before finally laying down with another soft sigh. He pulled the blanket tighter around himself and adjusted it with experienced twitches of his rotorblades. Once he was satisfied he closed his eyes and tried to get some more sleep, hoping that the nightmares would stay away during the day. 

But his luck had seemed to have left him and he startled awake with a choked cry not even an hour and a half later. He felt nauseous and the room seemed to sway around him. He surprised himself as a sob tore itself free from his being. He felt the hot sting of tears behind his eyes and tried to hold them back, in a futile attempt to keep his composure. Another sob escaped him, followed by another, and another. He buried his head in the cushions, trying to hide himself from the outside world. Trying to hide his weakness, his vulnerability.   
But soon his entire frame was shook by trembling gasps and hiccuping sobbs. 

Blade didn't notice how his Hangar door opened, nor did he notice that someone entered. The other was soaked from the rain and left a wet trail. The red and white helicopter also didn't notice how the intruder closed the door again. The other slowly, carefully came up to him and stopped right in front of him, bowing down slightly. The AgustaWestland startled then as someone gently nuzzled him. His head snapped up and he stared into a pair of calm, brown eyes. His surprise temporarily overrode his sorrow and he slowly ceased his crying. Blade's brain chose this moment to reboot and in an attempt to play his emotional turmoil down he cleared his throat and swallowed back his tears. „Windlifter? How can I help you? Is something wrong?“ he asked, trying to sound strong and indifferent. But the older Skycrane had seen right through him already and just regarded him with that unnervingly, unwavering calm of his, blinking slowly. 

Then the Sikorsky huffed softly and silently rolled to his left side, clamoring up onto the cushion beside him and laying down. Blade scooted over a bit and made space for the larger helicopter. Once he was comfortable he gently pulled the smaller airboss close. Blade resisted at first but soon he gave in to Windlifter's gentle, but persistent tugging. He pressed himself into the larger, warmer frame and felt Windlifter's warmth wash over him. He still tried to hold back his emotions but a single, almost tender brush of the other's rotorblade against his own, equivalent of a short, comforting nuzzle, and his bottled up emotions got the better of him. He started to tremble again, tears made their way down his cheeks and he broke down in hiccuping sobbs once more. The older still didn't say anything, he just laid there, beside him, allowing his simple presence to tell Blade that he wasn't alone. 

Only when the smaller helicopter slowly calmed by himself did he finally speak. He turned his head to Blade's, nuzzling the other again, a soft, deep purr made it's way out of his engine. Blade looked at him, sniffled and looked away again. „He is gone, but that doesn't mean that you're alone. You know that Maru, Cabbie and I will listen without judgement when you need to get something out of your system. We are your friends, and if you'll allow, then we'll also be your family. You're not alone with your loss.“ It was not just the most he'd heard out if the other in weeks, it was also the first time that Windlifter openly admitted that he knew about ChoP's and while Blade wasn't all to happy about the team knowing about his TV career, he was glad that it was Windlifter who told him. The Sikorsky's words touched something deep inside him and he sniffled once more as more tears threatened to fall. 

_„and If you'll allow, then we'll also be your family“_ How long had it been since the word Family had had any meaning to him? Five decades? He'd run away from home with seventeen, not wanting to take over his Dad's company. The first few years he spent doing the one or other small job. Then he discovered acting, played the one or other side role. 

ChoP's happened, his great breakthrough. 

He thought he'd caught the big fish now, but then _it_ happened. He nosedived into a bottle, and spent all the money he'd saved up on cheap alcohol and certain...... _other_ things that would help numb the throb in his chest. He'd been close to death back then, hadn't Mayday happened. It seemed the old truck had a gift for picking up lost souls and he steered him back into the right direction. He'd first dragged him out of the bottle, then he gave him a temporary home in his firestation. That's also when Blade met Maru. The Tug-Forklift Hybrid had been there to help Mayday during Piston Peak's off season. 

He'd first hammered his Mantra into his head after Blade had nosedived again, litteraly, on both. The months of substance abuse had damaged his engines and he'd fired out midair. 

Maru had spent almost a week fixing him up again. Afterwards, the words the Forklift had scolded him with became his motivation, his mantra. He'd asked Mayday if he would give him a chance and certify him. Mayday had agreed, and POOFF! Here he was at Piston Peak. Newly certified and as green as green could be. Maru had spent many a night fixing up the one or other scratch and bruise he'd sustained during training, but in the end it had been worth it. 

And he'd stayed in Piston Peak ever since. 

Once the old Chief retired he was promoted new Chief, he accepted the title, and he'd choose Windlifter as his second without second thought. The older Helicopter had soon become his trusted consultant, and in his greatest moments of selfdoubt he was there with that unshakeable calm and reassured him that everything was fine. Without even noticing it, the older had become a sort of father figure for the distraught AW139. 

And Blade was glad about that. 

The team might not have been his blood related family, but deep down he knew, that they were family none the less. 

Blade sniffled once more, then he looked up and into Windlifter's calm, gentle brown eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat and gave the other a small, weak, but corefelt smile. Windlifter returned it and brushed his Rotors over Blade's again. Then he got up, playfully pulling the blanket over Blade's head, earning a laugh and a „Hey!“ He chuffed softly while Blade tried to get the blanket off of his head. The Skycrane had reached the Hangar threeshold as Blade had freed himself again. 

„Windlifter!“ he called urgently as the other was about to roll back into the pouring rain. The Sikorsky turned back to him and looked at him questioningly. Blade hesitated for a moment, then he closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, opened them and said: 

„.....I allow it“.

The faintest hint of a smile graced Windlifter's features before he rolled off, leaving Blade alone again. But this time, Blade knew that he wasn't alone. 

He would never be alone as long as he had his team.

His newfound Family.

**Author's Note:**

> Thankies for reading!   
> I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
